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I got batch of cover designs in today and immediately regretted that the one I liked the best, visually speaking, would never fly for the cover. In this case, with good reason — it looks great but isn't quite suited for the audience. Luckily, there are others in the batch that also also very good and more appropriate for the book.
Also today, I got sketches in for another book. Here we are clearly we are making the less interesting choice because it more closely resembles familiar territory. The artist is no dummy and will likely reuse the pose on someone else's very successful book cover. (And I will be jealous!)
This happens a lot in the job. Many times I agree with the final outcome, in some cases I don't. Below are two older examples of covers that "got away."
The Mystery of Grace
Illustrator John Jude Palencar and designer Peter Lutjen have been the dynamic duo beyond many many Charles de Lint covers. It's amazing how well their sensibilities work together, even more so when you consider that Charles, Peter, and John have never met.
When Mystery of Grace came up, when we knew a general outline of the story. John Jude sent in a series of sketches and I was blinded by how much I loved this puppeteer drawing. It makes for a great painting, and even a great cover, but when the author and editor brought up the fact that it was much too dark for the book, it was hard too fight it. It certainly is macabre. This is not the artist's fault. If I had been thinking more clearly, I would have asked for other sketches. In this case we got as far as printing Advance Reading Copies with the puppet cover before we were able to about-face and start over. (I'm told you can find those advance reading copies on eBay every now and then.)
Since we do have such a long and wonderful history of Palencar covers on de Lint books, there was never a question of what to do — I went back to John, described the book more fully, and gave him a clearer understanding of how we wanted to position it. It was a whole second commission for him — a pricey mistake on my part but, thankfully, not one that I make too often. In the end, the second cover is just as lovely in a different way.
Blood Groove
In this case, it was tough to get the marketing tone right. The initial copy and the title made it sound a bit campy and hipstery. When talking to the editor, the book sounded much more gritty than that, and it sounded much more grisly than the current slew of hot Twilight-y vampires. Designer Jamie Stafford-Hill went to town on the idea of a truly horrific, old school vampire. What you can't see here is, he even requested a slightly textured varnish to make the cover just a tiny bit pebbly your hand. We did an advance run on the jackets and they looked great. Really great. In the end, though, Sales and Marketing felt that we should try to hit larger audience an go with a "movie-poster" style cover.
Selling more books is good for everybody — everyone from the author, to the bookstore clerks, to the truck drivers moving inventory around — so it's difficult to say that going more commercial is a bad thing...But truth be told, this was example where I wish we could have stuck with something that was a bit more unique and engaging. While I certainly like the re-do, quite a bit actually, I'll always wonder which cover really would have performed better.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The covers that got away
I got batch of cover designs in today and immediately regretted that the one I liked the best, visually speaking, would never fly for the cover. In this case, with good reason — it looks great but isn't quite suited for the audience. Luckily, there are others in the batch that also also very good and more appropriate for the book.
7 comments:
- Unknown said...
I find the influence sales and marketing have on the design process fascinating. From my experience with covers for a children's book series I found it initially very frustrating that my more imaginative ideas were being squashed by sales and marketing. Well, that's how it felt at the time. I riled against the idea that a 'marketing' guy would know more about illustration and design than me. But overtime it dawned on me that they don't necessarily know more about illustrating but they do know what sells. In the world of commercial illustration you just can't be ignorant to the factors that make a books sell, and like it or not, the sales and marketing crew know their stuff!
- Eric Braddock said...
I remember seeing these in person at your office over there at Tor. These simply blew me away. At least it gave you an excuse to get your hands on two JJP pieces for a short while ;)
- Irene Gallo said...
Andy - Exactly! I can almost think back on my early years at Tor as my professional teens -- when I was _so sure_ that I was right and "they" didn't get it. So dumb of me not to realize that everyone involved wants a successful product _and_ to do some work they are proud of along the way. And much more often than not, hen they push me things turn out the better for it.
Eric - yeah! Can;t say I complained about _that_ part. And the great thing about this internet age, a painting like that can still be seen outside of it's initial purpose. It also got into the Society of Illustrators and Spectrum annuals...so it seems to be having it's own, nice, life.
- Alice Meichi Li said...
I really enjoyed reading this post, and mirror Andy Smith's comment. Gleaning some insight into what makes a good or marketable cover is thoroughly interesting and helpful to me as an illustrator. :) I hope to hear more!
- bzyglowi said...
I was at Palencar's panel at Illuxcon and he mentioned this situation when showing the puppet image. I do have to say that I like the second cover much better, and it does seem to fit with the other covers he's done for Charles deLint books, which often seem to feature mysterious women in one situation or another. (The covers, not always the books.)
The marketing choice worked, though, because I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for that book on the shelves. ;) The cover alone is enough to intrigue me.
Great Post! I really enjoyed seeing the proposed covers versus the finals and appreciated some insight into how that kind of process can play out. I hope to one day have an opportunity to do some book covers and this is great food for thought here.
I also really enjoy the design on the Blood Groove "movie poster" version. Where it doesn't grip you as tight as the flaming vampire eye it pushes nearly all the focus on the title block and author name, drawing further recall of the title and not necessarily just the image.
I could see someone discussing the book and recalling the title easier whereas I could see the contrary with the vampire eye cover. With that cover I could see someone recalling in this fashion, " yah you know the book with the crazy eye on the cover ... what was it called again... oh anyways you know."
I enjoy both but feel the second version gives more to the title. Thanks for sharing these.
- Unknown said...
Thank you for putting this up, Irene. It's so rare that we as readers or other illustrators get to see the stages which don't see the bookstore shelf, so to speak.
I'm glad that the JJP piece is enjoying its own nice "life", though I always get vaguely sad when a less "risky" cover is passed over for shelf appeal. I know it's good for sales, but it's just me.
Hope the artists don't make you sad by providing sketches that're cool but don't work so well for marketing. : )


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Stony Brook, N.Y.- A torrid Albany team broke up a tight game with an eight-goal third quarter and defended their America East title, defeating UMBC, 20-11 in the league's championship game.
UMBC senior attackman Matt Gregoire (Crofton, Md./South River) scored three goals and became the Retrievers' single season record-holder in goals with 47.
Classmate Phil Poe (Harwood, Md./DeMatha) won 20 of 30 face-offs and broke his own single-season record with 229 draws captured in 2014.
Gregoire, Poe and sophomore defender Zach Esser (Forest Hill, Md./Fallston) were named to the All-Championship team.
UMBC sophomore midfielder Pat Young (Ewing, N.J./Christchurch (Va.) School) led the Retrievers with three goals and one assist.
The Retrievers would get on the board first, as Young scored from a sharp right angle just 57 seconds into the contest. But Albany would outscore the Retrievers, 5-1, over the remainder of the stanza and took a 5-2 advantage after 15 minutes.
UMBC made its best run of the first half, as Young and Gregoire strung together goals to bring the Retrievers to within 5-4 at the6:55 mark of the second quarter. But UA again controlled the final stages of the stanza and built the lead to 8-4, scoring a disputed goal on a missed off-sides call as the clock hit 0:00.
Poe controlled 9 of 13 first half draws, but Albany got key second chances by winning ground balls and led in that category, 20-15, at the break. Great Dane netminder Blaze Riorden, who recorded 20 saves in the first meeting between the two squads, made five first half saves, including a pair of high stick stops on high quality UMBC chances.
Albany's Miles Thompson, the championship's Most Outstanding Player, opened the second half with his 70th goal of the season 1:24 into the frame, but junior midfielder Ty Kashur (Manassas, Va./CCBC-Essex) and Young struck for the Retrievers and the deficit was 9-6 with 10:12 remaining in the third quarter .
But the Danes had their best face-off quarter of the game, splitting 12 draws with UMBC and took full advantage, scoring five unanswered goals in a span of 3:04 to take command.
Albany (11-5) led, 16-7, after 45 minutes and went on to win their sixth overall America East title.
The Retrievers committed 15 turnovers in the first three quarters and were outshot, 48-34.
UMBC (8-7) finished the campaign with its most victories since a 12-win campaign in 2009, the last year the Retrievers captured the title.
Notes: Gregoire broke the goal-scoring record of Jason Smith, who scored 47 goals in 1992… He finished his career with 96 goals (tied for 12th on UMBC all-time list) (and 113 points (tied for 22nd) Poe now has three of the top four single-season face off marks in school history and pushed his UMBC Division I record for ground balls in a season to 140… Senior face-off specialist Joe Impallaria (Lutherville, Md./Calvert Hall), who, like Gregoire, returned for a fifth year, scored his first career goal in the third quarter… UMBC is now 3-3 in America East title games.


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Getting back in shape after childbirth
Changes during pregnancy
During pregnancy and childbirth, your body undergoes many changes that may leave their mark after your baby is born:
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Because of all these changes, young mothers often have trouble accepting their bodies after giving birth. Give yourself time to get back in shape and come to grips with your new body!
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Peppi Marchello of the Good Rats Dies at 68
Peppi Marchello, lead singer of the Good Rats, died on Wednesday, July 10 from a heart attack, just weeks after having open heart surgery. He was 68.
The news of Marchello's passing was broken via Facebook by his wife, Melanie Landau Kerwin. "Today Rock N Roll lost one of its greatest singer songwriters of all time. Unfortunately I have the most unbearable news to let all of Peppi Marchello's fans, family and friends know that he passed away."
The Good Rats formed in Long Island in 1964 and were originally known as the U-Men. After their first singer was drafted to fight in Vietnam, Marchello took over the role. The band released their self-titled debut LP in 1969. It featured a raw and raucous take on the garage band ethic handed down by the British Invasion bands. In later years they would settle into a more straight ahead rock and roll style.
In the early '70s, the Good Rats signed to Warner Brothers Records and found themselves sharing stages with everyone from Bruce Springsteen, Kiss, Rush and the Grateful Dead. Once dubbed "the world's most famous unknown band" by Rolling Stone, the Good Rats were known for the exciting and often wild live shows. They built a cult following with dedicated fans around the world, but were most beloved in their native Tri-state area.
Former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick -- a member of the Good Rats from 1980 to 1983 -- remembered Marchello on his website, calling him a man of "powerful voice, songwriting skills, and wild live performance nature." He added, "Let's remember Peppi, with that baseball bat in his hand, leading strong band members throughout the years and entertaining his fans from his heart and soul."
Marchello's publicist Clifford Meth told LongIsland.com, "Peppi's life was about his family and his music. His love for songwriting and performing never diminished and he continued playing as many as 100 times each year until the very end." The band were inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
Listen to 'The Hobo' by the Good Rats


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By: Joseph Jacobs, A. Biram
Author of the "Sekel Ṭob" and the "Eben Boḥan"; flourished in the first half of the twelfth century. The presence of twenty-five Italian glosses in his works indicates that he lived in Italy. The "Sekel Ṭob," written in 1139 at Rome, is a midrashic compilation on the Pentateuch. The substance of the old midrashim is quoted in smooth and ornate language, from which foreign words are excluded, the general method being that of Tobias b. Eliezer's "Leḳaḥ Ṭob," which is frequently quoted, both with and without acknowledgment. Menahem's sources, in addition to the Targumim, are the whole of the earlier midrashic literature as well as the literature of geonic mysticism. He interprets also halakic authors, especially Alfasi and R. Hananeel, explaining verses as well as single words literally, although he expressly states that the midrashic interpretation is deeper and more thorough. "Sekel Ṭob" is frequently quoted both for its exegesis and for its halakic decisions. In the Middle Ages it was still intact, but now only the portion from Gen. xv. 1 to Ex. xi. 2 (edited by Buber, Berlin, 1900) is in existence, in two separate manuscripts in the Bodleian Library. Fragments of his commentary to Leviticus are found in a Munich manuscript, and, according to Steinschneider, portions of a similar commentary to the Five Megillot are contained in a codex at Berlin.
Of Menahem's other work, the "Eben Boḥan," only fragments are extant (Munich MS. No. 55). A part of it has been translated by Dukes, and it has been analyzed in detail by Bacher. This work, completed at Rome in 1143, in five months, was intended to prepare the author's three young sons for the study of the Bible. Menahem undertook to prepare for the first time in Hebrew a comprehensive manual of the Hebrew language and of Biblical exegesis. The work was divided into fifty parts; the first part, by far the largest and most valuable, was a dictionary of the Hebrew language; the other parts, now known only by their chapter-headings, dealt with grammar. The author follows chiefly Menahem b. Saruḳ; occasionally, and with diffidence, however, he advances his own views, and the entire conception of the form and contents of the work shows a certain degree of independence. It was intended, according to Bacher, to uphold Menahem b. Saruḳ's system against the teachings of Ḥayyuj and Ibn Janaḥ, introduced about that time (1143) into Italy by Abraham ibn Ezra.
- Zunz, Z. G. pp. 71, 108;
- Bacher, Die Hebr. Sprachwissenschaft (Winter and Wünsche, Die Jüdische Litteratur, ii. 185);
- idem, Bibelexegese (ib. ii. 272);
- idem, Einleitung zum Sechel Tob, pp. i., lx., Berlin, 1900;
- Dukes, Kobeẓ 'al-Yad, part 1, Esslingen, 1846;
- Kirchheim, in Orient, Lit. vii. 439;
- Steinschneider, Hebr. Bibl. xvii. 28 et seq., 134 et seq.;
- Bacher, Der Prüfstein des Menahem b. Salomo, in Grätz Jubelschrift, pp. 94-115.


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There were only a few games left in the regular season, but Rachel Hill wasn't worried.
The senior forward on the Somersworth High School girls soccer team was just shy of breaking the 17-year old state record for goals scored, held by Souhegan's Courtney Banghart. Hill and the Hilltoppers were blanked, 1-0 by eventual Division III champion Bow, and Hill was two shy of the record with two games left to play.
One reason Hill wasn't panicking was because Somersworth's final regular-season game was against Kingswood, a team the Hilltoppers had beaten 8-1 in an earlier matchup. Second, and more importantly, was that the record was not as important to her as making sure her team finished the season strong.
Fortunately for Hill, she did both. Somersworth won its next game 2-1 over Hopkinton, a team the Hilltoppers were battling for a high playoff seed. Hill scored a goal in that game, and sure enough, the floodgates opened the next night at home against Kingswood, as Hill smashed Banghart's record with a hat trick. The unselfish Hill also got her senior teammates in on the act as three of them scored their first varsity goal in the 8-0 rout.
Hill's record-breaking milestone, and the way she conducted herself throughout the pursuit of both the record and a strong season for the Hilltoppers, was one of many uplifting stories of triumph and sacrifice on the local sports scene in 2012.
Who can forget the chilly April afternoon that saw the national-record winning streak of the Portsmouth High School baseball team come to an end? And what better team to stop the streak than St. Thomas Aquinas?
The Saints finally cracked the Clippers' code, rallying for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of a much-hyped regular season showdown in Dover. Chris White had the game-winning hit, scoring all-star Jordan Bean to get the win and make Portsmouth's streak history at 89 games.
A championship-game rematch between the two rivals did not materialize, but the Saints earned their first title since 2004 with a thrilling 4-3 win over Lebanon in the D-II final. St. Thomas pitcher Craig Teed, batting for the first time all season, came up with a crucial bunt in the bottom of the 10th inning that stayed fair, loading the bases and allowing Josh Terry to win the game with a sacrifice fly one batter later.
The Seacoast saw the last of tennis phenom Julia Keenan, at least while wearing a St. Thomas Aquinas High School uniform. The senior capped her illustrious career with her fourth straight NHIAA singles title, becoming the first player in state history to accomplish the feat. Keenan and partner Anna Hayes also took home their second straight doubles title, and the Saints won their second D-II championship in three years.
The Portsmouth High School boys basketball team won the Division II championship with a decisive 58-33 win over Bedford in the final. Kamahl Walker scored 22 points to lead all scorers in the championship clincher. It was the 18th title in school history for the Clippers.
The Marshwood High School wrestling team won its first state title since 1999, and its first in Class A, with 167 points in the championship meet. All 14 of the Hawks' wrestlers qualified for states, advancing seven to the finals of their weight class and four to the ultimate glory of individual championships.Freshman phenom Hannah Parker won three individual events and anchored the 4x400 relay to help lift the Coe-Brown Northwood Academy girls track team to the D-II outdoor title.
The Marshwood football team, under first-year coach Alex Rotsko, won its first Western Maine championship in 23 years with a thrilling 21-20 win over York in the Class B title game. The Hawks fell short of ultimate glory with a 44-42 loss to Mt. Blue in the Class A state championship game in Portland.
It was a fine summer for our local youth baseball and softball teams. Dover Post 8 Junior Legion team, which won the state championship and advanced to the regionals in Cranston, R.I. The Berwick, Maine, 9-year-olds won the Cal Ripken state championship and went on to win the regional title. The Rochester Slammers 10U team took home the Northern state championship, going 4-1 overall at the tournament. The Slammers 18U team also won the state championship.
Other teams to taste ultimate success included the Coe-Brown girls cross-country team, which won its third straight D-II championship, its second straight Meet of Champions title and finished second at the New England meet. The Portsmouth football team won its second straight D-III championship. Swim teams from Dover, Oyster River and St. Thomas all took home state titles.
Then there were those who came close. The Spaulding High School boys basketball team qualified for the Division I semifinals for the second time in five seasons. The Red Raiders quarterfinal win over Nashua North was postponed after the bus transporting the team to the game was involved in an accident en route. One student was hurt, but quickly released from the hospital after evaluation. Spaulding won the rescheduled quarterfinal in overtime, but lost to eventual champion Merrimack in the semis.
The St. Thomas Aquinas High School boys lacrosse team just didn't have enough in the tank in the D-II championship game, falling 12-4 to Bedford. The Saints were in pursuit of their third state title. The Newmarket baseball team fell 13-1 to Sunapee in the Division IV championship game.
The Dover High School boys hockey team fell to Bedford in the D-II championship game. The Prospect Mountain High School boys basketball team lost to Berlin in the Division III final. The The Spaulding unified soccer team lost in the state championship match. The Somersworth High School football team fell at home in the Division V championship game. The Seacoast Titans went 10-0 to three-peat as champions of the New Hampshire Independent Football League (NHIFL) with a 38-13 win over Berlin. The Titans have not lost a game in two and half years.
The St. Thomas Aquinas volleyball team was undefeated until suffering its only loss in the D-II championship match. The Dover volleyball team capped its best season in the history of the young program by advancing to the D-I semis. In D-III volleyball, Nute saw its somewhat improbable playoff run end in the title match.
It was a banner year for individual athletes. Rochester's Denise Sandahl, a former University of New Hampshire runner, won one of the Seacoast's most prestigious road races, the Red's Shoe Barn 5-miler, crossing the finish line in 30 minutes, 14 seconds.
Mike Mahan won the 2012 Seacoast Am golf tournament. Mahan survived a shaky back nine during the final round at the Pease Golf Course that included back-to-back bogeys and a double bogey to edge three-time champ Craig Steckowych by one stroke.
The local area boasted a pair of Gatorade Athlete of the Year awards in baseball. St. Thomas's Bean earned the New Hampshire award and Luke Fernandes of Marshwood won the award for Maine. Dover's Molly Wotton garnered the award in volleyball.
Tyler Davidson, Nick Janes, Cody Hughes and Jackson Howarth of Marshwood High School all won individual championships at the aforementioned Maine Class A state meet. Hughes went on to finish fifth at the New England meet. Farmington's Paige Smith dominated the NHIAA gymnastics state championships with four state titles, including the all-around crown. Former Olympic swimmer and Dover native Jenny Thompson was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
It was also a year to remember for one of our own, as Foster's Daily Democrat and long-time Rochester Times sports editor Mike Whaley was named New Hampshire Sports Writer of the Year for 2011 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, becoming the third from this newspaper to be so honored.
The University of New Hampshire men's hockey team rebounded from a terrible start to the 2011-12 season with a strong start to 2012-13. The Wildcats were unbeaten in eight straight games at one point. During the streak, the Wildcats went 202 minutes, 30 seconds without allowing a goal, a program record. UNH was rewarded with the No. 1 spot in the national polls but enter 2013 at No. 4 behind Minnesota, Boston College and Notre Dame.
Long-time UNH coach Dick Umile celebrated his 500th career win when the Wildcats beat St. Cloud State in the opener of the current season. UNH also lost to Maine during a game at Fenway Park in January.
The UNH football team kept up its winning ways, qualifying for the NCAA Division I tournament for a record ninth consecutive year. The Wildcats were eliminated in the first round with a 23-7 loss at Wofford (S.C.).
The Seacoast Mavericks collegiate baseball team rebounded from a lackluster debut in 2011 to 10 more wins in 2012. The Mavs also found a new home, announcing plans to abandon Bert George Field in Rochester for Leary Field in Portsmouth starting in 2013.
John Doyle is a staff sports writer and editor at Foster's Daily Democrat. Contact him at email@example.com and follow him on Twitter @JohnDoyle603.


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10 little days before we leave on our honeymoon to Greece.
10 long days until my first vacation in exactly three years.
It has been so good to have something tangible to plan and look forward to following our wedding and I'm so glad we planned it this way. Still, the final countdown is a bit tortuous! I've been doing some shopping over the past few weeks in preparation and think I have pretty much everything I need...including a teal bikini purchased yesterday (at my DH's request). One more bathing suit and I should be fine in that department. Just need to dig out my cover ups and see if I have a pair or two of yoga pants to wear around the house balconies and on the beach in the cooler evenings. Ahhh...doesn't that sound divine?
DH however... He's nowhere near ready. His job has been all-consuming lately. Read: 6 days a week for 12-16 hours a day. Not good at all. Now, our mission this Saturday will be to completely prepare him and gather/buy everything he needs in one day.
On the blog front, my lovely friend Tania gave my blog this Ladybug Blog Faves award... thank you Tania!!!
The rules for this wonderful little blog award are as follows:
1. The winner may put the logo onto their blog
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 10 blogs
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for the nominees.
I do plan on nominating my favorites but, need some time to go through my Google Reader and pull out the addresses for my faves so, bear with me!


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Guidelines for applications to the Spring Exhibition 2013
Who can apply for the Spring Exhibition 2013?
Submissions for the Spring Exhibition 2013 can be made by artists of any nationality and country of residence, over the age of 18. Individuals as well as groups are welcome to apply.
What does it cost?
The application fee is DKK 575, EUR 75, USD 102, GBP 65, SEK 695, NOK 595 (the amount will vary depending on the currency rate of the day) which is paid online as the first stage of the application process. Your application cannot be made and approved unless this payment has previously been carried out.
The following cards can be used for payment: Dankort, MasterCard, Visa, Visa Electron. You will receive
a receipt by e-mail.
Your application is approved on payment, after which you can upload your contribution(s) and re-edit until the deadline on 10 January 2012 at 12 P.M.
When is the application period?
Applications must take place online 3 -10 January 2013 at The Spring Exhibitions website under the menu-point "Online application". The application form is only available online from 3 January 2013.
How many works may I submit?
You can submit up to 5 contributions in the categories: painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, graphic art, mixed media, architecture, design / craft., photography, video, film, performance, animation, sound art, net.art, software art, visual poetry, events & talks. For every contribution you can upload 4 images and there will be a note and description field, if the work requires a special explanation.There is a time limit of 5 minutes for video, film, animation and other time-based works.The time limit is only for the application, and not for the final viewing, if the works are accepted for the exhibitions.
The works may not be more than two years old.
What shall I send in when applying?
Applications to Spring Exhibition 2013 take place online. This means that we don't receive physical works for the assessment by the jury. Instead, you are to upload your contribution(s) digitally at The Spring Exhibitions website under the menu-point "Online application".
Keep in mind that the images of your contribution(s) ought to be of a quality that is sufficiently high so the jury will not to have any doubts about the appearance and nature of the contribution(s).
Accepted digital formats and data types:
- .jpg. (photographic material) 72 dpi Max. height 1200 px, max. width: 1920 px.
- .gif (graphic material and possibly animation) Max. data size:
- .png (digital graphic)
- .swf (for animation and interaction) Max. data size: 5 Mb
- .mp4 - H.264 (for video and film) aspect ratio: 4:3, 16:9 Max. duration 5 mins.
- .mp3 - 44 kHz (for sound).
- Online works - Must function on an ordinary modern browser: (Mozilla/Internet Explorer). You will be able to insert the Url-address in the application form
- YouTube Video. You will be able to insert the YouTube link in the application form
Video and film works that are accepted for the Spring Exhibition can be handed in / sent (perhaps in a higher resolution) but always on both a DVD and USB to Kunsthal Charlottenborg in the period 11 - 12 February 2013.
What happens to my application material after the jury's adjudication?
The uploaded files that do not make it to the exhibition are deleted from the Charlottenborg Fonden server once the jury's work has been completed. The contributions accepted by the jury will remain on the Charlottenborg Fonden server for use in a possible online exhibition catalog and dissemination purposes.
Permission for showing
When you send in your application and images of your contribution(s) you must give your permission for it/them to be published online in the exhibition catalogue for the Spring Exhibition and for visual material of your contribution(s) to be offered to the press for publication in connection with media coverage of Spring Exhibition 2012.
When and how will I be informed that I have been included or not?
The jury's decision is sent as an e-mail to the address you indicated in your application.
You will receive an answer 24 - 25 January 2013.
When a work is accepted for the exhibition, the submitter cannot require the work not to be exhibited.
If a work is in the exhibition, the exhibitor cannot require it back, before the exhibition is over.
If I am accepted, will I then be responsible for the hanging, building up and installation of my contribution?
No, not if your contribution is of a smaller scale, however applicants that are accepted with large scale installations are responsible for building these themselves.
If I am accepted, will I then be responsible for technical equipment?
For accepted works that need special equipment such as. film, video and computer art, ect., the artist will be responsible for the necessary equipment.
If I am accepted, will I then be responsible for packing and transport of my contribution(s) to Kunsthal Charlottenborg?
Yes, you are responsible for packing and transportation of your contribution(s) to Kunsthal Charlottenborg as well as any eventual transportation insurance as well as for return transportation when the exhibition is over.
Your contribution(s) will be insured during the period they are at Kunsthal Charlottenborg.
When are accepted contributions to the Spring Exhibition to be handed in?
Your contribution(s), if selected by the jury, are to be handed in to the Spring Exhibition at Kunsthal Charlottenborg 11 - 12 February 2013.
If somebody purchases what I exhibit, how is payment transacted?
At every sale of works at the exhibition at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Charlottenborg Fonden takes a 30% commission.
The sales price, which you list in the application form, must therefore include this commission fee. You will not be paid until the buyer has paid the whole sum.
The sales price includes everything the buyer sees (i.e. frames and the like), also if the work exists in more than one copy or not, which should also be indicated in the application.
Charlottenborg Fonden cannot be held responsible if a buyer backs out.
If I would like more information, who should I contact?
More general information about Spring Exhibition 2013 is available Mon - Fri 10.00 - 14.00 on tel. +45 33111191
or email@example.com


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Tony Conrad, Yellow Movie 12/17/72
If, as Tony Conrad might have us suppose, a Movie is light and any marking of the passage of time, what is Documentary Cinema as a category? In fact, the Minimalist structural filmmaking practices of Conrad and others share concerns with documentary's base impulse, namely the transmission of a "factual record or report."
As screen culture settles into its well-earned ubiquity, we must revisit old questions about the where and the what of cinema as an object and what constitutes something separately known as the "cinematic." All cinema is, on some level, depictive, not necessarily by choice, but rather by inevitability. As fictional as any narrative may assert itself to be, it is also a real event. Every book is a record of someone and something somewhere writing and printing it in real time, and so too every image on screen. Regardless of visual effects and editing, the moving image is, at its root, depictive, depicting its own movement as a bare minimum.
With this in mind, is a digital clock cinema? Is any screen producing light at any time—picaresque and episodic as devices are woken up, sleep, wake up, sleep, screens within screens are opened and closed, sleep—also cinema? Regardless of any durational claims made by an individual work, it appears to me that a movie or television show begins when you turn the screen on and ends when you turn it off.


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Conference Schedule
The Academy for Temple Studies and the Utah State University Religious Studies program announce further details of the conference to be held on October 23, 2013, on the campus of Utah State University. It will start at 9:15 a.m. in the Eccles Conference Center and adjourn at 4:30 p.m. Since seating is limited, we recommend that you register now if you want to attend.
This conference will approach this topic from a temple perspective with biblical, archeological, liturgical and LDS components. Looking at the abstracts below it is clear that this conference should promote a lively discussion and time is being allotted for panel discussion and response to questions.
8:45 Benchmark Bookstore open in the lobby.
9:15 Welcome and Introduction of the conference.
9:30 Margaret Barker, well-known for her numerous books and articles on temple theology, whose book called The Mother of the Lord: The Lady in the Temple was published last year. Her presentation is entitled, "The Woman Clothed With the Sun in Revelation 12." A female figure, apparently not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, appears in the centre spot of the Book of Revelation. She is a royal figure, crowned with stars, and she gives birth to the king who rules from a throne in heaven. She is attacked by a red dragon, escapes to the wilderness, and there waits for the allotted time to pass. Her other children were the Christians, but who was she, and where had she been hiding? The implications are that the Lady is the Mother of Yahweh.
10:40 break
11:00 William Dever, distinguished professor of Near Eastern Studies; has written 26 books and 350+ articles on Near Eastern archeology. The writers of the Old Testament clearly present monotheism—the exclusive worship of the male deity Yahweh—as the ideal. Yet the frequent condemnation of "idolatry" by prophets and reformers indicates that in folk religion other deities were often worshipped. In particular, the Mother Goddess "Asherah" appears as a shadowy figure, almost forgotten in later times. But several recent archaeological discoveries of both artifacts and texts have revealed that the cult of Asherah was widespread throughout the monarchy. And in many circles she was regarded not simply as a patroness of mothers, but as the consort of Yahweh. Even in later Judaism, she appears as the "Shekinah"—the earthly Mother who represents the presence of a remote God. Prof. Dever will give an illustrated lecture on Asherah, based on his recent book Did God have a Wife? Archaeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel.


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Problems swallowing pills
Lots of people find it hard to swallow pills. There are things you can try to make it easier and a pharmacist can offer advice.
How to make it easier to swallow pills
- take pills with water – you could also try taking them with something like yoghurt or fruit purée
- lean forward slightly when you swallow
- practice swallowing with small sweets or bits of jelly – try bigger pieces as swallowing gets easier
- do not throw pills towards the back of your throat
- do not tip your head back too much when you swallow – this can make swallowing more difficult
- do not crush pills, open capsules or alter your medicine without getting medical advice – this could stop the medicine working properly
Good pill swallowing techniques
"Lean forward" technique:
"Pop bottle" technique:
Don't try these tips if you also have difficulty swallowing food and drink (not just pills), as you might choke. See a pharmacist or GP for advice.
A pharmacist can help if you can't swallow pills
A pharmacist can advise you about:
- other versions of your medicine that might be available – for example, you might be able to get it as a liquid or dissolvable tablet
- crushing, dividing or opening up tablets and capsules – this should only be done on their advice
Causes of swallowing problems
Problems swallowing pills can be due to:
- fear of choking – this can make your throat tense and narrow when you try to swallow
- a dry mouth
- general swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) – for example, due to a condition such as a stroke


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Lua Hadar with TWIST: Like a Bridge. A family concert of cosmopolitan jazz.
Musically Minded Academy
Saturday, February 16, 2013 from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM (PST)
Event Details
The Celebrating Women Musicians Concert Series at Musically Minded Academy presents this fun and eclectic jazz concert by vocalist Lua Hadar and her 6-piece ensemble, featuring songs from around the world as well as American jazz standards performed with the band's signature 'twist,' in styles.
Lua Hadar, vocals Jason Martineau, piano Dan Feiszli, bass Kent Bryson, drums Ian Dogole, global percussion Larry De La Cruz, reeds With Special Guest, 14-year old singer-songwriter phenom, Josh Reinier "Hadar is nothing if not the consummate entertainer… first call band of international talent" – Critical Jazz. Lua's eclectic cosmopolitan jazz sound, in 7 languages, draws from many nations and many styles, connected by our common humanity. Biographies Multi-lingual and multi-talented, LUA HADAR has performed as a singer and actor since her New York childhood. Graduating summa cum laude with a B.A. in Theatre Performance, Lua attended the celebrated Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre and The Dalcroze School of Music, also studying with Metropolitan Opera coach, Joan Dornemann. Lua sings world jazz influenced by pop, funk, latin and international cabaret. Instantly accessible and truly exotic, this Broadway-influenced performer has been molded by cultural exchange experiences in places as diverse as Bali, Russia, Switzerland, Japan, Thailand, France and Italy. Her fascination with world cultures is reflected in the sophisticated song choices for her band, TWIST, in their signature "jazz without borders." The mission of her band is to create world harmony through music. A unique and original vocalist with a soaring range, Lua interprets lyrics in several languages with a charming, swinging delivery, as well as passionate commitment and humor. She has appeared at Yoshi's Oakland, The Fairmont Hotel, The Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco's Rrazz Room, The Plush Room and Jazz at Pearl's, New York's Iridium Jazz Club and Cornelia Street Café, the Swan Bar in Paris, Theatre Les Tisserands in Lille, France, and at the Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music. Jason Martineau is an award-winning composer, pianist, arranger, and instructor, and has been active in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1995. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Manhattan School of Music, and has composed numerous works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, solo piano, and chorus, as well as a full-length musical, multiple film scores, and over 200 songs, both instrumental and vocal. Dr. Martineau has recorded more than ten CDs in various genres, and has also been featured on numerous other artists' recordings, as pianist, music director, and producer. He provides scores, arrangements, original compositions, soundtracks, sound design, accompaniment, private instruction, and musical direction for a diverse and eclectic client base.
When & Where
Musically Minded Academy
5776 Broadway
Saturday, February 16, 2013 from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM (PST)
Add to my calendar
Musically Minded Academy
Email: email@example.com
Website: http://musicallyminded.org/organizer/musically-minded-academy-3/
Phone: 510 601 5700


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Iain Duncan Smith launched an astonishing attack on step-parents, single parents and LGBT couples this week in a move that could see welfare to work sharks brought into the family home and even the bedroom.
Speaking at a conference on social justice, the Secretary of State warned that in future the proportion of children no longer living with the same parents from birth would be a new government measure to monitor the growth of 'social problems'.
His comments came after research revealed that half of 15 year olds live with both parents. This is hardly a surprising statistic in world where people are no longer trapped into loveless, or even abusive relationships, in order to avoid the stigma that came with being divorced, a step-parent, in a gay or lesbian relationship or a single parent.
Iain Duncan Smith included children growing up with step-parents in a list of social…
View original post 536 more words


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Energy affects consumer choices large and small, from a replacement light bulb to the kind of car we drive.
It influences investments businesses make in new equipment and technology. And it creates opportunities for companies that either provide energy or help conserve it.
And the energy marketplace is changing dramatically.
In Outlook 2012, The Morning Call examines how changes in the energy industry can mean pain at the pump for consumers grappling with rising prices and stagnant wages, and how it can bring savings for those savvy enough to seek out low-interest loans for home and business upgrades.
While energy markets are highly volatile and difficult to predict, one thing is certain. The more you know about the cost of energy and the factors that influence it, the better prepared you'll be to make smart decisions at home and business.
Threat to recovery?
The Lehigh Valley and the nation are slowly regaining ground lost during the Great Recession. The Valley has recovered about half of the jobs it lost and the unemployment rate has dropped. Home sales increased during the last half of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, a firm indication of improving consumer confidence.
Economists expect this will be another year of slow growth. But one of the biggest threats to the economic recovery is oil. A sudden spike, if steep enough, has the potential to cause consumers to recoil and throw the economy back into recession.
"We're already starting to see gasoline prices get higher, and the closer they get to $4 a gallon, the more consumers will react to it," said Ryan Sweet, an economist with Moody's Analytics. "There's nothing harder on a U.S. consumer than a sudden increase in gasoline prices."
Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of the United States economy. So when people have to spend more money to fill up their cars to go to work, they have less to spend on other things. Demand for gasoline is fairly steady regardless of price because there are few substitutes, and people respond to gas prices more than other products because the prices are so visible, said Kay Smith, a macroeconomics expert at the Energy Information Administration.
"When gasoline prices approach a high, for example when gasoline prices approached $4, consumer confidence took an extra hit down," Smith said. "The reason people do that is it is an energy price that they see everyday. The prices are posted everywhere. You can't get away from them."
But the effect isn't just in the minds of consumers. Every 10-cent increase in the price of a gallon of gasoline translates to a 0.1 percent decrease in disposable income, Smith said, because people cut other expenditures to pay higher gasoline prices.
For that reason, businesses have a hard time planning when fuel prices are volatile. They don't know what their own energy budget will be, and they don't know how much consumers will have to spend for their products.
And it's difficult for government to control. Despite the United States being the No. 3 oil producer in the world, it still consumes more than twice as much as it generates. That means the country is heavily dependent on foreign energy sources. And it faces greater competition as China and other countries demand more of the world's oil.
A stable fuel at home
While oil price volatility poses threats to the economy, natural gas prices have been falling thanks to newly tapped domestic supplies.
Drilling in western and northern parts of Pennsylvania, as well as West Virginia, North Dakota and Texas, is yielding vast supplies of natural gas. The boom is creating jobs and lowering prices for a popular fuel used to heat homes and run power plants.
The big effect for homeowners who heat with natural gas is lower bills. And consumers have reacted by swapping out old oil boilers and furnaces for natural gas heating units that save them money. A typical natural gas heat customer will pay nearly $700 less to heat their home this year than they did in 2008, according to UGI, the Valley's leading natural gas provider.
Electric bills also have dropped due to lower natural gas prices. And the Energy Information Administration estimates domestic natural gas deposits are sufficient to meet demand for years.
That resource, and concerns about safety, have combined to cool enthusiasm for another alternative power supply: nuclear energy. The United States is home to more nuclear power plants than any other country in the world. But low natural gas prices make it difficult to justify investing billions in a competing energy source.
And nuclear reactor meltdowns that followed tsunamis in Japan have renewed concerns about the safety at such plants.
The energy market presents business opportunities, visible throughout the Valley.
Lutron Electronics in Coopersburg, for instance, has come along way from its humble beginnings. Company founder Joel Spira invented the first dimmer-switch to be marketed to the masses in his Brooklyn apartment, delivering a feature to dining and living rooms that was previously available primarily to play producers.
In business in the Lehigh Valley for 50 years, the company helps reduce energy costs in homes and offices with high-tech solutions that adjust lighting based on the presence of people and the position of the sun in the sky.
Especially in commercial settings, where lighting is a major energy drain, the products can provide a return-on-investment within two years through savings, according to the company.
The Valley's biggest Fortune 500 company, Air Products in Trexlertown, has diversified clients in various segments of the energy market. It makes industrial gases used in oil refineries and other gases that are used to manufacture solar panels.
As the world's biggest hydrogen producer, it has a stake in seeing hydrogen-powered cars emerge as a viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles. Such cars are available. The biggest hurdle for the market is creating an adequate number of hydrogen fueling stations so people feel they can drive the cars and not be stranded without fuel.
Ways to save
Consumer awareness about energy prices has created entire industries. An Orefield company specializes in conducting energy audits of homes, providing detailed reports that help homeowners make investments in such things as insulation and more efficient appliances to curb their energy costs.
Gas utility UGI has seen a record number of people convert their home-heating units to natural gas due to its lower price. And natural gas has become the region's predominant home-heating fuel.
For homeowners, there are options to fit any budget. You can spend tens of thousands installing solar panels to make your home its own power plant. Or you can spend a few bucks to install energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs and watch your electric bill drop.
Other options for consumers, like prepaying for home-heating oil or locking into a long-term contract for electricity at a fixed price, puts them in a position where even energy market experts are uncomfortable. Trying to predict what will happen to the price of energy is a task that baffles even the experts.
And speculative investing by those trying to profit by predicting future oil prices can increase volatility. If investors are bullish on the economy, it can quickly send gas prices higher.
In late 2011 and early 2012, volatility was moderate with concerns about European debt and slowing growth, which brings prices down, canceling out concerns about potential supply disruptions in the Middle East, which can drive prices up, said Bruce Bawks, a research analyst with the Energy Information Administration.
"At least from a volatility perspective, volatility has been down a bit," Bawks said. "The market has just been kind of bouncing up and down depending on the news of the day."
- Petroleum Industry
- Business
- Consumer Confidence
- Environmental Issues
- Consumers
- Natural Gas
- Business
- Natural Resources
- Energy Resources
- Energy
- Market and Exchange
- Commodity Markets
- Upstream Oil and Gas Activities
- Economic Indicator
- Prices
- Energy Saving
- Nuclear Power
- Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (2011)
- Moody's Corporation
- Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.